Climate & Resilience: Page 17

  • A man speaks at a podium with out of focus construction machinery behind him.
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    Courtesy of Office of Gov. Josh Shapiro
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    $400M job training program in PA aims to boost infrastructure projects

    Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro has created a workforce development grant designed to help employers pay wages and training costs.

    By Zachary Phillips • Aug. 1, 2023
  • Silhouette of a person pouring a jug of water on themselves
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    Brandon Bell/Getty Images via Getty Images
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    Extreme heat merits federal major disaster status, local leaders say

    Proposed federal legislation would unlock much-needed resources for local extreme heat response, say the National League of Cities and U.S. Conference of Mayors.

    By • Aug. 1, 2023
  • smart city, smart cities Explore the Trendline➔
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    jamesteohart via Getty Images
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    Trendline

    Top 5 stories from Smart Cities Dive

    From worsening climate change to a shifting transportation landscape and the housing affordability crisis, cities have their work cut out for them.

    By Smart Cities Dive staff
  • New building codes targeting net-zero and climate goals are placing substantial strain on facilities managers whose roles have traditionally focused on keeping buildings safe and secure.
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    Porcorex via Getty Images
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    Building code, energy code updates face pushback due to cost concerns

    Codes that seek to curb emissions and fossil fuel consumption will save money in the long run, supporters say, but builders and facility managers wonder if “the juice is worth the squeeze.”

    By Nish Amarnath • July 26, 2023
  • Rear view of engineers walking along the rows of photovoltaic panels on a rooftop of a solar plant.
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    simonkr via Getty Images
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    Low-income, disadvantaged communities urged to apply for $7B federal solar grants

    The EPA Solar For All competition offers up to 60 grants for solar programs that provide financing and technical assistance like workforce development.

    By Diana DiGangi • July 25, 2023
  • Aerial shot of electric buses parked near chargers
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    Wengen Ling via Getty Images
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    Cities can afford more climate projects with new tax incentives: report

    Tax credits made available to cities through the Inflation Reduction Act are so significant “that they may warrant a re-evaluation of some previously assessed investment opportunities,” the Alliance for a Sustainable Future report says.

    By • July 25, 2023
  • Electric vehicles charge under a solar panel.
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    John Moore via Getty Images
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    Colorado releases new statewide building energy codes

    The standards, set to take effect July 1, will require local municipalities to meet minimum requirements, including electric vehicle and solar panel compatibility.

    By Joe Burns • Updated July 25, 2023
  • Exterior view of multifamily residential building under construction.
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    Sundry Photography via Getty Images
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    Vermont delays residential building energy code implementation to July 2024

    A legislative committee wants more time to create a state entity to improve international energy conservation code compliance.

    By Nish Amarnath • July 24, 2023
  • Downtown Los Angeles California skyline cityscape skyscrapers
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    dszc via Getty Images
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    California clears path for safe conversion of underused commercial buildings

    The California Building Standards Commission’s vote to amend existing building code allows multiple compliance paths for adaptive reuse.

    By Nish Amarnath • July 24, 2023
  • A low-angle look towards the Charlotte, NC, skyline
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    Darwin Brandis via Getty Images
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    Cost concerns spur North Carolina’s move to delay vote on building code update

    The state’s Building Code Council has shelved a vote on a proposed overhaul of building energy efficiency rules as it waits for reports detailing the costs and benefits of implementing the changes. 

    By Nish Amarnath • July 24, 2023
  • Sustainable glass office building with trees for reducing carbon dioxide.
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    Fahroni via Getty Images
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    Northampton mulls adoption of energy efficient opt-in stretch code

    The Massachusetts city is weighing the pros and cons of embracing a specialized stretch energy code to dissuade fossil fuel use in new building construction.

    By Nish Amarnath • July 24, 2023
  • City skyline
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    RoschetzkyIstockPhoto via Getty Images
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    These 5 cities aim to cool down by scaling up ‘smart surfaces’ in coming years

    The benefits of implementing these surfaces across a city may far outweigh the costs, according to the nonprofit Smart Surfaces Coalition, which is leading the initiative announced Thursday.

    By • July 24, 2023
  • A pedestrian, EMT and fire department representative stand around a n FDNY table and van promoting lithium ion battery safety along a New York street.
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    Permission granted by FDNY
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    Deadly battery fires from e-bikes, scooters prompt action in NYC

    The city launched an education campaign, as legislators push for new policy and community groups strive to reach micromobility-reliant delivery workers.

    By Kalena Thomhave • July 21, 2023
  • The Tidal Basin in Washington, D.C. with the monument in the background on a cloudy day.
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    Sara Samora/Smart Cities Dive
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    Washington, DC, sues 3M, DuPont, others over ‘forever chemicals’

    The lawsuit alleges the chemical manufacturers polluted the Potomac River and the Tidal Basin.

    By Sara Samora • July 20, 2023
  • Landscape shot with trees in the foreground and a downtown skyline in the background
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    graphiknation via Getty Images
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    Bezos fund commits $400M for urban green space, with initial $50M for 5 cities

    To help underserved areas, the first round of awards from the Amazon founder’s climate solutions organization will support 24 urban greening organizations and six national organizations.

    By • July 20, 2023
  • Aerial shot of urban downtown
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    mphillips007 via Getty Images
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    Green ‘rebirth’ could be in store for smaller industrial cities across US

    After decades of population loss and disinvestment, these cities are uniquely positioned to become climate-resilient hubs that support green agriculture and industry, says a Lincoln Institute of Land Policy report.

    By • July 18, 2023
  • A view of the Comcast offices in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Comcast Center is one of the tallest LEED-certified buildings in the U.S.
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    Cindy Ord via Getty Images
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    $90M for greener building energy codes awarded by DOE

    “Modernizing energy codes is one of the most cost-effective ways to improve energy efficiency in homes and businesses and make communities more resilient to extreme weather events,” the Energy Department said.

    By • July 14, 2023
  • People sit under a fountain in front of buildings
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    Nathan Howard/Getty Images via Getty Images
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    Extreme heat: What federal officials want cities to know

    As more cities look to combat the perils of extreme heat, evaluating strategies’ effectiveness and scaling up the ones that work remain a challenge, federal officials say.

    By • July 13, 2023
  • A highway in front of industrial area
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    halbergman via Getty Images
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    ‘Amazingly high’ air pollution near Houston chemical plants gets EPA monitoring support

    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s support adds weight to potential recommendations the city could make for state industrial emissions regulation, said the Houston Health Department’s chief environmental science officer.

    By • July 12, 2023
  • A low angle view of a street lined with parked cars with buildings in the background and autumn leaves on the street.
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    Bilanol via Getty Images
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    Demand for parking may have dire climate, housing consequences, author says

    “The more parking you provide, the more likely people will be to own a car,” said author Henry Grabar on a webinar. 

    By • July 12, 2023
  • Cargo trike for hauling food scraps on a New York City street
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    Permission granted by Tucker Mitchell for Common Ground Compost
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    New York City zero waste package, including mandatory residential organics recycling, becomes law

    The city’s Department of Sanitation, which was already ramping up a voluntary curbside organics program, must now enforce participation in 2024 after Mayor Eric Adams allowed a bill to become law without his signature.

    By Jacob Wallace • Updated July 11, 2023
  • City skyline
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    Art Wager via Getty Images
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    Solar-powered ‘microgrids’ coming to San Diego public buildings as first of 8 projects breaks ground

    The microgrids will save the city $6 million over 25 years and boost community resiliency by providing energy during blackouts, the city says.

    By • July 11, 2023
  • A tree-lined street and tall buildings
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    benedek via Getty Images
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    Los Angeles’ car-free ‘park block’ pilot aims for cleaner air and safer neighborhood streets

    The city plans to reroute traffic and create public spaces where roads are closed, following in the footsteps of Barcelona's successful "superblock" program.

    By Joan Mooney • July 10, 2023
  • A person stands in front of a sign reading "FEMA"
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    Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images via Getty Images
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    As billion-dollar disasters increase, FEMA evolves to keep up

    The agency is reevaluating when to scale up staffing and eyeing building codes as a strategy to save on recovery costs.

    By • July 6, 2023
  • A row of electric vehicle chargers.
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    Young777 via Getty Images
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    US electric vehicle goals will require up to $127B to install 28M chargers by 2030: NREL

    The National Renewable Energy Laboratory expects there will be 30 million to 42 million electric vehicles on U.S. roads in 2030, requiring a rapid infrastructure buildout.

    By Robert Walton • July 6, 2023
  • An aerial view of the iconic pier and boardwalk on the beach in Santa Cruz, California.
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    Courtesy of Granite Construction
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    California greenlights $4.3B funding for energy efficiency, targets underserved and rural communities

    The funding will support energy efficiency efforts from 2024 through 2027. Regulators also approved a forecasted budget of another $4.6 billion from 2028 through 2031.

    By Kavya Balaraman • July 5, 2023